By Kamsi Anayo
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Haruna Tsammani has dismissed the application for live broadcast of its proceedings.
Justice Tsammani who read the ruling on Monday dismissed the application for lacking in merit.
He added that the application is a policy issue that can only be established by the judiciary.
The judge held that there was no regulatory framework or policy direction that would provide the basis to allow cameras in the court which he said was a major judicial policy which should have the backing of the law.
The judge held further that the request for live broadcast of proceedings was not part of the reliefs sought in the petitions before the panel.
He ruled that request was premised on a sentimental claim that it would be of benefit to the electorates aside from the fact that the petitioner failed to show how such live broadcast would aid their case.
“The court can only be guided and act in accordance with the practice directions and procedures approved by the President of the Court of Appeal.
“We cannot permit a situation that may lead to dramatization of our proceedings,” Justice Tsammani ruled.
Atiku and the PDP in an application dated May 5, filed by their counsel, Chris Uche, specifically prayed the court for an order directing the court’s registry and the parties on modalities for admission of media practitioners and their equipment into the courtroom.
The petitioners had in their applications averred that their applications are predicated on the fact that the matter under dispute is of “national concern”
Similarly, the LP and its Presidential candidate Peter Obi filed an application in which they argued that Nigerians being stakeholders have a right to have real-time information about the election petition proceedings.
“The matter before the Honourable Court is a dispute over the outcome of the Presidential Election held on 25th February 2023, a matter of national concern and public interest, involving citizens and voters in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who voted and participated in the said election; and the International Community as regards the workings of Nigeria’s Electoral Process”. The petitioner had argued.
